Haruko Akagi
Haruko Akagi '(赤木 晴子, ''Akagi Haruko?) is the younger sister of Shohoku's basketball captain; Takenori Akagi of Slam Dunk series, and she is also the love interest of the protagonist of Slam Dunk ; Hanamichi Sakuragi. Personality Haruko is a sweet, kind, innocent and a friendly girl with a captivating personality. She is always around cheering for Shohoku's players, especially her brother Akagi, and Sakuragi whom she considers her best friend. She, like most of girls in Shohoku, has a crush on Shohoku's ace and Sakuragi's rival; Kaede Rukawa, due to his good looks and amazing skills in basketball. However, near the beginnig of inter high championship, Haruko realised her hopeless feelings for him after seeing how much Rukawa is devoted for basketball, and acknowledged that she would never have a place in his heart. Haruko is also very naive and dense. She was unable to realise Sakuragi's love for her until the end of the manga when the latter confessed his love for basketball to her. She is aslo unable to understand that she is the main reason for Sakuragi's and Rukawa's rivalry. At the end of the series, she became the second manager of the basketball team Romance '''Hanamichi Sakuragi Haruko sees Sakuragi as her best friend, and the two get along together. Sakuragi had been in love with her since the first moment he met her, when she asked him if he liked basetball, which the latter decides to play it in order to earn her love. However, Haruko remains oblivious of his feelings due to her big crush on Rukawa. She is the first girl to acknowledge Sakuragi as a friend and a better person, unlike other girls who avoided him because of his scary appearence and fighting history as a delinquent. She is also the first one to recognise his potential in basketball, when she asked him to dunk the ball, impressed by his jump which led her to believe he would be the savior of the basketball team. She is considered as an emotional support for Sakuragi's growth as a basketball player, since the latter's love for her doesn't only make him a better player but also a better person as well. She is always there cheering for him and congratulating him for his achievements and victory. She had done several activities with Sakuragi, such as training together, buying basketball shoes. Sakuragi always refers to his moments spent with Haruko as non official dates. Haruko began slowly to care for Sakuragi, and is very touched for his hard work and determination. When he completed his 20 000 jump shots training, she felt envious and proud at the same time for his growth. When Sakuragi was injured in the back, during his crucial match against the powerful Sannoh, Sakuragi confessed to Haruko his love for basketball and somehow indirectly revealed his feelings for her as well; telling her he isn't lying unlike the last time when he said yes because of his love for her. That confession made Haruko blush, stunned and at the same time concerned about his injury. After Sakuragi scored the winning shot, she cried in happiness for Shohoku's victory. After the end of inter high championship, their relation began somehow to improve; as Haruko became a second manager, her first job is to keep weekiy correspendance with Sakuragi until he returns, much to the latter's happiness. In the first letter she sent him, she told Sakuragi that she' ll be waiting for him once he finished his rehabilitation; impling that she has reciprocrated his feelings. 'Kaede Rukawa' Like all high school girls, Haruko has a huge crush on Rukawa due to his amazing talent as a basketball player. She had been infatuated with him since junior high when his team played against them, in which Rukawa scored a dunk over 3 players, which caused Haruko to gain a crush on him saying that his performance was burned in her memory. However, Rukawa doesn't acknowledge her crush on him. During their first interaction, when Haruko mistakenly taught Sakuragi has beaten Rukawa, seeing him bleeding, she offered him to clean up his wound, but Rukawa snapped coldly at her, which left her very upset and hurt by his cold behaviour. Despite that, Haruko still clinging to her feelings, insists on coming to the gym, watching the team's practice, hoping to get his attention. During practice or during matches, she always squeals or get heart strucked whenever Rukawa gets points, much to Sakuragi's chagrin. Whenever she tries to talk to him, he always walks away ignoring her, or responds by simple answers to avoid conversation, completely oblivious of her existence. In fact Rukawa cares about nothing besides basketball and himself. After motivated by Anzai to become the best high school player in Japan, Rukawa became more devoted to basketball. During practice, when he blocked Sakuragi's shot, the ball came straight at Haruko, which she dodges it. Rukawa picked up the ball, in which Haruko believes it wouldn't have made a difference to him even iif the ball hitted her. Realsing that only basketball is in his mind, Haruko's crush towards him began to decrease slowly, acknowledging that she would never be able to get his attention, though she still admires him as an amazing player. At the end of the manga, she turned her attention to Sakuragi instead, staying in close contact with him. Category:Anime Love Interest Category:Protagonist's Love Interest Category:Love at First Sight Category:Unaware Love Interest Category:Unrequited Love Category:Female Love Interest Category:Teenage Love Interest Category:Love Triangle Category:Love Interest With a Love Rival